Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park
About the Park
34,507 hectares of pristine wilderness in eastern Albania, home to ancient forests, glacial lakes, and critically endangered wildlife.
Albania's Last Wild Frontier
Dramatic mountainous terrain shaped by ancient glacial activity. Dense coniferous and deciduous forests blanket mountainsides. Ancient beech forests in remote areas remain virtually untouched. 14 glacial lakes carved during the last ice age. Elevations range from 300m valley floors to the 2,253m summit of Mount Shebenik.
Straddling the border with North Macedonia, Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park protects one of Europe's last truly wild mountain landscapes. Established in 2008 and expanded in January 2022, the park now covers 34,507.9 hectares (345 km²) of rugged terrain that remains largely untouched by modern development.
The park harbors an extraordinary concentration of biodiversity, with 32% of Albania's plant species found within its boundaries. Its ancient beech forests, part of the UNESCO World Heritage network, stand as living monuments to Europe's primeval woodland heritage.
Total Area (hectares)
Highest Peak (meters)
Glacial Lakes
Of Albania's Flora Species
Heritage
Park History
Military Protection Era
For decades, the area served as a restricted military zone along the Albanian-Macedonian border. This inadvertent protection preserved the pristine natural state of the forests, wildlife, and glacial lakes that define the park today.
National Park Designation
The Albanian government officially designated Shebenik-Jabllanice as a national park, recognizing its extraordinary biodiversity, ancient beech forests, and importance as a wildlife corridor along the European Green Belt.
Park Expansion
In January 2022, the park was expanded from 33,894.25 hectares to 34,507.9 hectares, incorporating additional areas of ecological significance and strengthening wildlife corridors connecting Albanian and Macedonian ecosystems.
Terrain
Geography & Landscape
From deep river valleys at 300 meters to the windswept summit of Mount Shebenik at 2,253 meters, the park encompasses a remarkable range of habitats shaped by millions of years of geological forces.
The landscape tells the story of the last ice age: glaciers carved cirques and U-shaped valleys into the mountainsides, leaving behind 14 pristine glacial lakes perched between 1,500 and 1,900 meters altitude. Ancient beech and oak forests cloak the lower slopes, giving way to subalpine meadows and rocky alpine terrain above the tree line.
Landscape View from Shebenik
Forest in Shebenik Mountains
Mountain Peaks of Shebenik
Conservation
UNESCO World Heritage
The ancient Rrajca beech forests within Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park are inscribed as part of the “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe”, a transnational UNESCO World Heritage property spanning 18 countries. These forests represent outstanding examples of undisturbed, complex temperate beech ecosystems that have existed since the last ice age.
~212,945 hectares
Total area within UNESCO designation across Europe
Protection
Conservation & the European Green Belt
Shebenik-Jabllanice sits along the European Green Belt, a corridor of natural habitats stretching from the Arctic to the Mediterranean along the path of the former Iron Curtain.
Conservation efforts in the park focus on preserving its extraordinary biodiversity, protecting endangered species such as the Balkan lynx and brown bear, and maintaining ecological connectivity between Albanian and Macedonian mountain ecosystems. The park's IUCN Category II designation reflects its global significance for nature conservation.
IUCN Category II Protection
As a Category II National Park under IUCN guidelines, the area is managed primarily for ecosystem protection and compatible recreation, ensuring long-term preservation of natural processes.
European Green Belt
Part of the 12,500 km ecological corridor stretching across Europe, the park serves as a critical wildlife bridge connecting mountain ecosystems across the Balkans.
Biodiversity Hotspot
Home to 32% of Albania's plant species and critical populations of Balkan lynx, brown bear, and grey wolf, the park is a sanctuary for species under pressure across Europe.
Ancient Forest Preservation
The UNESCO-inscribed Rrajca beech forests are among the oldest and least disturbed woodland ecosystems in Europe, providing invaluable data on natural forest dynamics and climate history.
Getting There
Location & Access
Located in Eastern Albania, Elbasan County, Librazhd Municipality, Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park sits along the Albanian-Macedonian border, north of Lake Ohrid. The park offers Free entrance, open 24/7/365.
GPS Coordinates
41.2928°N, 20.5619°E